Letters to the Editor

By The Bakersfield Californian

This is in response to the Sept. 9 letter "Rubio failed to promote 'Solar for All' opportunity." I rarely follow the many bills that go through the Legislature each year. I did, however, follow one particular bill with interest. SB 1122, which the previous letter writer criticizes, is now before Gov. Jerry Brown for his signature. If signed, there is no doubt that the Central Valley would stand to benefit greatly from state Sen. Michael Rubio's bill.

Specifically, this job-creating bill would significantly reduce the harmful effects of methane by removing this greenhouse gas from our dirty air here in the valley. Our state's electrical grid would stand to gain baseload power, which, unlike solar, means the power would be available 24 hours a day regardless of whether the sun was shining or not.

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There is no doubt that this bill will help create much needed jobs here in Kern County in an industry that will help clean up our air and is definitely environmentally responsible.

Our state's Public Utilities Commission supported Rubio's bill because it served dual goals. It promises to incubate an industry that has tremendous potential to create jobs and will help clean our environment -- the same environment that the letter writer claims to represent. Those are goals that everybody should be able to get behind and support.

MONTGOMERY WARD : It's amazing how quickly rumors circulate in this age of social media and instant messaging. On Monday, rumors were flying that the old Golden State Mall on F Street was about to be turned into a homeless center run by its new owner, Canyon Hills Assembly of God.

OIL PRICES : Oil producers have sharply curtailed drilling as the price of crude has plummeted, but it may not last for long. At least that is the opinion of oil magnate T. Boone Pickens, who predicted this week that oil prices would rebound to about $100 a barrel by the end of 2016.